16% of Bulgarians Support the Adoption of the Istanbul Convention, Polls

Only 16% of the Bulgarians support the adoption of the Istanbul Convention, and the debate over the document has not seriously affected the support for the main political parties, according to a poll by Trend Sociological Agency and commissioned by 24 hours newspaper. Krassimir Karakachanov, Tomislav Donchev and Lilyana Pavlova are the ministers who receive the highest approval rating for their work.

Only 16% of all Bulgarian citizens support the adoption of the Istanbul Convention, 46% are in the opposite opinion and 38% cannot judge. The survey results show that there is no dynamic in demographic breakdown by sex thus suggesting that women do not perceive the Convention as a document protecting their rights. The opinion on the convention is divided into two equal parts only among GERB supporters, due to the clear position of the party on the document.

Trend specify that the survey was completed before the Prime Minister announced that he would freeze the ratification of the Convention by the National Assembly.

The approval ratings for the work of the main institutions in Bulgaria remain at similar levels compared to the January survey of the agency. President Rumen Radev enjoys an approval of 63%, followed by the National Ombudsman Maya Manolova (62%). The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is ranked immediately after them, with more than half of the Bulgarian citizens (51%) giving a positive assessment for its work.

Traditionally, the public approval for the court and the prosecutor's office is the lowest, each receiving 19%.